Thinking About the Future
by SkullDanny
Summary: All grown up and he hasn't returned. Destiny islands turned into a Polluted group of Cities. Everything is okay though... Until he comes back. And he managed to bring trouble with him.


Wash Away  
  
Introductions  
  
By: SkullDanny  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.  
  
As the darkness consumes you;  
  
Don't be afraid.  
  
The walk sign slowly came into view as the young woman turned the corner, the eyes behind the sunglasses stinging with those dreadful things people call tears. She recalled how Selphie had confronted her that morning, her friend once again finding her unable to sleep in the apartment they shared, staring out the window.  
  
"He's not coming back."  
  
She bit her lip in anger and scowled. Those words couldn't be true. How could her friend believe them?  
  
"He's dead, Kairi. You must realize that."  
  
She felt a knot of anger rise up in her throat, and she found herself glaring at the skyscrapers that had blocked out the sun.  
  
What would Sora think?  
  
Oh, that's right. He wasn't coming back. It didn't matter what he thought. He was dead. At least that's how Selphie felt. The 22-year-old had stormed out of the apartment, leaving her friend staring after her.  
  
The young businesswoman suddenly longed for the day to end. It was Friday, and that meant she would be returning to the fifth island of Destiny Islands; the only island that was saved from the Mayor's sudden lust for technology and pollution. On each island, except the fifth one, of course, he had decided there would be a rather shiny city. On each island. She hated shiny things.  
  
At the end of the day, as Kairi gathered her things from her desk, she glanced up as Selphie silently passed. She stopped for a moment, as though about to turn around and speak to her, but she decided against it. Kairi couldn't help it. She felt saddened. She missed her friend's sunny personality.  
  
At least she would be able to talk to Selphie on the boat ride to the fifth island. That, she decided, would be when she apologized for her behaviour.  
  
Kairi had grown into a brilliant young woman over the past eight years. She had been taught the art of sword fighting by Tidus and had also proven herself a fantastic lawyer. Yes, a lawyer.  
  
She had grown her hair to her shoulders, straight and dark crimson. She was tanned, still smaller than some people, and very beautiful. She knew it, too.  
  
"D'you..." She rolled her eyes. No.  
  
"Want to go out for dinner with me or something?"  
  
She turned her gaze to the man in front of her, looking slightly embarrassed.  
  
"No, thanks."  
  
She turned her gaze upwards as the man left, looking defeated. She leaned against the rail of a boat, watching others, grinning as some looked slightly green. Had they ever gone on a boat before?  
  
"Kairi!"  
  
Kairi turned to see her cheerful friend running towards her. She pulled the sunglasses off her face.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I just heard that there was a meteor shower last night! We probably missed it because of the skyscrapers!" Selphie knew that Kairi loved meteor showers. There hadn't been one in eight years, and she supposed Kairi thought that meant Sora was coming back. Which could be very true.  
  
She was right. The young lawyer's eyes lit up as she thought about the possibility of Sora returning.  
  
Selphie just grinned at her and gave her a hug. Kairi hugged her back, and a silent apology was exchanged. They were friends again.  
  
Throughout the three-hour boat ride, Kairi was reunited with her friends from other islands who once lived on the fifth island. Wakka, Tidus, and friends she had made after Sora had disappeared. As they reached the fifth island, Kairi was enthusiastically talking to all of her friends, unaware of the boat ride ending.  
  
"We have now reached the fifth island. Please gather your belongings and line up at the exit."  
  
Kairi held her single suitcase tightly, pushing her way to the line... Or what she thought was the line. They slowly moved off of the boat, and Kairi closed her eyes, finally being out in the open, the sun washing over her.  
  
This is much better.  
  
She unloaded her suitcase at her stepparent's house, greeting them and telling the people she loved about her job while the only parents she knew told her of the meteor shower.  
  
"Say... Has your friend returned yet?" Her stepfather asked, but by the sudden lack of brightness in the girl's eyes, he supposed not.  
  
"Well, I'm sure he'll come back soon." Her stepmother said, trying to cheer her daughter up again.  
  
Shortly after, Kairi left the house to explore. She ventured to the farthest place, the star tree. Hopping across the trees, she jumped onto the small platform of grass, straightening as she reached out and touched the tree. Suddenly, as if racing with someone, she ran back to the cove, a smile upon her lips.  
  
"I've been practicing, Sora!" She cried out to the sea as she reached the 'starting line'. She walked towards the raft, now ruined, the rotten wooden falling apart. She looked around, and something caught her eye.  
  
"The bracelet!" She grabbed the shell bracelet she had made.  
  
It's supposed to bring good luck to the travelers... I never got to use it.  
  
She smiled, though it was a sad smile.  
  
Neither did Sora.  
  
She left the cove, the shells around her wrist as she challenged her friends to battles with the wooden sword she had gotten from Tidus. As evening fell, her friends left, and she found herself wandering towards the Secret place. But not before something caught her eye, floating in the water.  
  
The charm!  
  
Picking up her lucky charm with her small hand, she suddenly hugged it.  
  
"Sora's back..." She whispered. The signs were clear. The meteor shower, the charm... And the blood that had soaked into the sand in the direction of the Secret Place. He was back, and wounded.  
  
She couldn't help but feel lighthearted. Despite her urgent need to go inside the Secret Place, she raced back to her house, collecting her potions that were beginning to gather a thick layer of dust. The potions she kept just in case she would need them. Now she needed them. Without saying a word to her parents, she ran as fast as she could to the Secret Place, ducking inside. Her arms filled with potions, she walked as fast as she could through the tunnel. When she entered, she saw a strange sight before her. The tunnel was lit by the space behind the door. Which, in fact, was open. Having been afraid of the door for the past eight years, she made an effort to stay at least two feet away from the door. She gazed at all the drawings on the rock walls as she made her way to her favorite one. What she found was blocking her view of the childish drawings.  
  
Sora turned, a piece of chalk held in his pale hand, his eyes full of fear which washed away to weak happiness as he stared at the young woman before him. He motioned to the drawing of Kairi and Sora giving each other Paopu fruits. The drawing of Kairi in particular, which had been improved with fresh chalk.  
  
"I tried to make it better." He whispered before slumping against the large roots of a tree, his eyelids closed. The man she had been waiting for four years was right in front of her, currently unconscious. 


End file.
